The Houseplant Tango
by GreenByrd
Summary: Please read and review and make me a happy person. Oo
1. Here to Face the Fears

**The Houseplant Tango**

_Chapter One: Here to Face the Fears_

Their eyes locked as they scanned the room, searching out the other's soul greedily. They approached each other quietly and spoke politely, finding rudeness to be another foul type of death. Then the deception was lost and their eyes fell to the floor, dividing the tiles into multiple squares with their imagination. Her voice trailed off and was left that way, amplifying her face as it paled with anticipation.

But then he smiled and in his eyes flickered something evil. And this thing enticed her so that she sat beside him at the long, elegant table, but not too quickly so that her anticipation did not betray her. She flashed him her rough and unimpressed smile to answer his own.

When she smiled… something inside of his soul disappeared and left him quite empty. And in her eyes sparked desolation which made him feel coldness and grief blended with engulfing bliss, so much that he whispered into her ear, "May I have this dance?"

Her desolate eyes glinted, but the frown that fled across her face attempted to hide the embarrassment that spread across her features, "No, I don't believe it's right… not now, at any rate…" the words that tumbled out did not match her thoughts, and deep within she lashed out at her voice that disintegrated and dropped below.

And so it was left at that, but it yearned and scratched and moaned to disappear at the glimpse of her smile as he walked away, just as her soul listened intently for the sound of his voice. Even so, they both disappeared back into the crowd, wishing so much to vanish and leave their thoughts behind.

_Chapter 2: Fragment of the Deep will be up soon! Please review!_


	2. Fragment of the Deep

Cahtpre 2: Fragment of the Deep

He was walking from the restaurant where he had purchased the supreme pizza with extra cheese to bring back to his apartment. He hummed a familiar rock tune while he strolled along in a casual fashion, not really paying attention to where he was going. He thought back to the party thrown by a friend the night before and smiled. Never had he met someone like her…

She was walking around the corner, speaking pleasantly on the phone to her current boyfriend, whom she had just spent the afternoon with at a small and expensive coffee shop before he left for a business trip. Carrying her latté in her free hand, she tried to dig through her purse for a piece of paper, "Just a minute," she scolded, "I don't have a pen ye-"

They collided as they both rounded the street corner. His pizza went flying, her purse and cell phone landed with a thud upon the ground and her latte spilled down the front of her white tank top.

"Oh crap! I'm sorry!" He was the only one left standing, staring down at the woman he ran into, "Are you okay? Ah, I'm such a freakin' klutz!"

"No, no it's my fault," She took his offered hand in bewilderment and was pulled up roughly, "I was talking on my cell phone… not paying attention…"

He stared at her face for a moment as she looked around at the spilled contents of her purse, "Wait- you're Trish, right? Yeah! Hey, I'm Dante! We met yesterday, remember?"

She looked up at his face, "Dante… Yeah, I am Trish. Nice to see you again," she nodded and then looked at the ground in embarrassment, "Oh! I'm really sorry!" She pointed to his pizza, out in the middle of the street. A large truck rolled over it as they watched.

Dante laughed nervously and then picked up her purse and its contents, along with her phone, "It's alright, I'll just go get another one."

She took her things from him, "No, let me buy it for you, I insist! It was my fault! Please, I'll feel bad all day if I don't."

"No, it really was my fault, and don't worry about it," he put his hand on hers to keep Trish from looking for her money. He then had an idea, "Wait! I'll only let you pay for it in one way."

Trish backed away, "I'll just give you the money for it…" her eyes widened in fear.

"The only way I will accept payment for the damaged pizza is if I buy another and you eat it with me!" Dante smiled broadly at his newfound plan.

She looked around and her brain buzzed wildly, searching for an escape route, "No, I uh- I can't. Not right now, I have to go take care of my boyfriend's houseplant." This wasn't untrue, as he had asked her to water it while he would be away on a business trip.

Dante stared at her, "Boyfriend? Oh… well…" He became suddenly uncomfortable and stared at her brightly painted toenails, "Well… you must be hungry, right? And… the houseplant should be okay for a few more hours…"

"Few more hours?" Trish laughed uneasily, "Maybe just half an hour…" She said quickly, and then reprimanded herself inside her brain. What was she doing?

Dante nodded eagerly, "Half an hour it is, then! Come on!" He dragged her by the arm, not thinking of her muddled shirt. They reached the House of Pizza in no time, and before Trish knew it, she was sitting with Dante in a large booth, a supreme pizza with extra cheese between them.

"It looks… delicious…" Trish lied, becoming disgusted at the grease dripping off of the slice of pizza Dante was holding happily.

He smiled at her giddily, "Yeah, this place is awesome, since pizza is my favorite food. What's yours?"

"Salad," Trish smirked sadistically, "Or I guess… maybe sushi."

Dante's smile didn't fade, "Pizza is good for you, ya know? It's got all the food groups on it."

Trish nodded barely, "Oh, really?" She yawned and leaned back into the seat, but then thought better of it and jerked forward, "You know what, Dante, this was such a pleasant experience but-"

"Aren't you going to play the arcade games?" Dante pointed to the beaten up machines in the corner of the restaurant.

"I had better be go-" Trish started for the door.

Dante jumped up and led her to a game, "Come on, I'll teach you."

They spent the next three hours playing video games, laughing, and drinking all the soda they could. Dante walked her back to her boyfriend's apartment. They both felt lost, however.

"It was really nice… uh… yeah. I hope you had fun," Dante scuffed his feet nervously on the floor.

Trish leaned against the door, "Oh, was that a date?" She laughed, her smile reflecting back into his memory.

"Well, was it?" Dante smiled at her as well, "You tell me."

She unlocked the door, "Nah, it was fun though. See you later, maybe." She walked in and waved from the doorway as she watched him leave, "By- Oh wait! Come here!"

Dante turned in surprise and followed her in. She ran into the living room and held up a dejected and dying fern like plant.

"Ta da!" She giggled, "There really was a houseplant, I wasn't lying, if you thought I was."

"I didn't think you were lying," Dante said seriously, his eyes darkening, "I would never think you would lie."

Trish sat down on the couch with the houseplant, becoming silent. Dante sat beside her. They both stared at the plant solemnly until Dante broke the silence.

"Maybe… you should water it?" He smiled and shrugged.

Trish laughed quietly and shoved him playfully, "Well then go get the watering can, Mr. Smartpants!"

"Mr. Smartpants?" Dante laughed out loud, "I've been called many things, but never that!"

"I wonder why?" Trish said sarcastically as Dante frowned good-naturedly. He walked back to the door and Trish set the plant on the counter, "Well… bye I guess."

He leaned forward as if to kiss her, but she backed away and shut the door.


	3. Loneliness Lines the Silver Clouds

The Houseplant Tango

Chapter 3: Loneliness Lines the Silver Clouds

An hour after Dante had left, the phone rang. Trish answered it carefully, only to discover it was her boyfriend calling from his hotel.

"Yeah, yeah," Trish sighed into the receiver, "I get it. I will, okay? No, I was out shopping. With who? With no one, why? So you don't trust me? Fine, I said I would. Okay! Bye, you too."

She turned and stared at the houseplant sitting ominously on the counter as she hung up the phone, "You'll keep my secret, won't you?" She smoothed out one of the shriveled leaves affectionately, as if petting an animal. A smile crossed her face, "I'm an idiot, huh?" No answer was received, and the plant seemed to stare at her mutely.

Trish placed the houseplant back on the shelf where it belonged and stared out a window for a few minutes as rain began to fall across the darkening horizon, "If he finds out I even spoke to his brother, he'd murder me… but… I don't know, what do you think? Am I going crazy?" The houseplant was silent, and Trish laughed at herself, "Yeah, I guess I am… talking to Vergil's plant…" Her smile faded and she sat on the couch, hugging her knees and thinking solemnly.

A few minutes later, she stood and grabbed her jacket, throwing it over her shoulders and new tank top, and ran out the door and down the hall.

Dante was outside the building, waiting for something to happen. He didn't know what had kept him there, but he had gotten out of the revolving doors and into the rain outside the tall apartment building and had stopped. He had been standing there for nearly an hour and a half, and just as he was about to go back to his apartment, someone ran out of the doors and into him. They hit the ground and lied there.

"Whoa! You okay?" Dante reached down to help them up.

"At least I didn't have a latte with me this time," Trish laughed and took his hand, "It's the second time today I've ran into you. But this time I'm glad I did. Say, want to go get some coffee or something?"

"Haven't we established you don't have good luck with coffee?" Dante pulled her up and smiled. She stared at him without saying anything, and his smile faded.

Trish shook her head and laughed quietly, "Yeah, I guess we did… well… want some coffee anyway? I could use some, I hate sleeping at night anyhow."

His smile returned, "Sure. You pick the place."

Trish nodded and began walking quickly across the street, Dante trailing behind.

He then had a thought and ran next to her, taking her hand in his. She turned her head in surprise, but he only smiled.

In a few moments they reached the coffee shop where she had been with Vergil earlier in the day, "Have you ever been here before?" Trish asked Dante skeptically.

"Nah, I'm not one for expensive coffee shops," Dante shook his head as they made their way up to the counter.

"But you're one for splendid pizza restaurants?" Trish tilted her head to the side and giggled, but immediately became quiet when Dante didn't laugh as well, "Sorry."

They ordered their coffee and sat down at a small table by a window. Dante shifted his feet uncomfortably and stared at the steam rising from his drink. Trish also stared at her drink grimly, wondering whether or not she had made such a good decision.

She was just about to break the silence when a familiar voice rang out from across the room, "Trish, is that you?"

Trish recognized it immediately and a twang of fear rippled through her body. It was one of Vergil's closest assistants who would be leaving the next day to join him at his work site.

"Who is it?" Dante asked in concern when Trish didn't answer the man.

Trish shook her head, "No- Oh no… I'm dead…" She buried her head in her hands.

The man came up beside the table, his eyes studying Dante peculiarly. There was a large scar on one side of his face that seemed to sway and move. He was dressed in a very plain suit and his bald head reflected the light fixture on the ceiling, "Trish, why wouldn't you answer me?"

Trish looked up, her face smooth and tranquil. She smiled at the man and stood slowly, easing between him and Dante, "I didn't recognize you, Arkham," she turned to Dante, "Please excuse me for a moment."

Arkham and Trish walked outside, leaving Dante sitting uncomfortably in the fancy coffee shop alone. He decided to stare out the window at them as they talked. Trish kept stealing uneasy glances towards him while her mysterious acquaintance did the same.

"What are you doing here with his brother?" Arkham tried to keep from yelling, grabbing his cell phone from his pocket, "You had better give me a good reason, or I'll call Vergil and tell him what is going on. He'll give me permission to kill you, I'm sure."

Trish backed against the wall, her head swimming with possible lies he would believe, "No! No, you mustn't tell Vergil. That will ruin the surprise, won't it?"

Arkham raised his eyebrow in question, "Ruin what surprise?"

"Dante's death… I… am going to kill Dante as a birthday present for Vergil. I know how much it weighs on his mind knowing his brother is still alive. I want to surprise him. Oh Arkham, please promise me you won't tell him?"

He stared at her for a few moments and then nodded, "He's to be dead. And soon. I'll be seeing you in a short while, my dear. You have such a good idea, let's hope you don't do something foolish and ruin it."

Arkham left without his order and Trish walked slowly back inside, wondering how she had managed to persuade him as easily as she had. Suddenly a thought crossed her mind. He's going to tell Vergil… and let him deal with me as he wishes, she thought, and grew cold.

"Hey, you okay?" Dante asked, walking up to her with her drink.

She jumped and looked up at him, "I'm fine." She took her coffee and looked out the glass door, "What do you say we go for a walk? You can show me where you live."

Dante nodded and they headed out. The rain had stopped, but threatened to resume.

"Who was he?" Dante asked as they strolled along. A police siren sounded in the distance, but they ignored it.

Trish looked at him with fear in her eyes. The same evil was in Dante that was in Vergil. When she looked into his eyes she could see it there, fainter and different than his brother's, but there all the same, "Arkham. My boyfriend's work colleague. He wanted to know who you were."

"And what did ya tell him?" Dante asked with a grin, "Did you tell him I'm your new boyfriend?"  
Trish shook her head, "No, I didn't. I… I told him I was planning to kill you."

"What?" Dante asked in surprise, "Why?"

"Because my boyfriend is …your… twin brother," Trish said slowly and then looked at the ground, waiting for whatever Dante would say.

Dante froze, "My… Vergil?"

"Yes," Trish nodded sadly, "Don't get me wrong- I'm not going to actually kill you."

"Vergil is dating you?" Dante let out a laugh, "Whatever! He wouldn't date a human! Don't be stupid! … Unless you …aren't a human."

Trish emitted a sigh and looked at him sorrowfully. Rain began to fall slightly and lightning flashed against the sky, "No. I'm a demon."

Dante's eyes blazed as thunder rolled through the clouds but then diminished and he smiled. Trish sensed the rise and fall of anger in his mind and she leaned against the tall building they were standing beside.

"Are you angry with me?" Trish asked, feeling quite dumb after the words left her mouth.

Dante shrugged, "Nah, why would I be? I like you, and I figure Vergil probably doesn't… besides, you could do a lot better than that loser."

"Meaning you?" Trish laughed.

"Sure, why not?" Dante grinned, "Unless of course you don't like me."

Trish watched as the rain fell into puddles along the side of the street, "No, I like you a lot… a whole lot."

Dante leaned forward and kissed her.


End file.
